The first OxASH Drink and Think Discussion event of 2013/14 took place in the Massey Room of Baliol College at 7.30pm on November 7th. We discussed the motion: “Are some religions worse than others?”

The Chair opened the case for the proposition with the affirmation that a world without all religions would be a better one. But some religions were still worse than others. The UK, he said, is a majority Christian country but still very tolerant. Islamic nations, on the other hand, aren’t very tolerant at all. He pointed out Turkey comes lowest in the list of developed countries for levels of acceptance of evolution.

He also contrasted Jesus, whom he called “a socialist hippie,” with Mohammed, whom he said was “a warlord and a paedophile.” He argued that Mohamed’s marrying an adolescent girl had been used as justification for child marriage, citing the example…